For many of us, having a child is an incredible and truly life-altering event. After carrying a baby and giving birth, however, many people feel that they would like to return to their pre-pregnancy figures - and as a new parent, it can understandably be a struggle to find the time! In many cases, breasts and stomachs can lose their original shape and volume: unfortunately, our usual steps like a healthy diet and regular exercise don’t always help regain that pre-pregnancy shape.
Despite the difficulties of finding time and energy to exercise or eat well, there remains a great deal of pressure on all mothers to “bounce back” from childbirth, which can exacerbate existing insecurities and frustration with their changing bodies. Though we believe every body is a beautiful body, and new mothers should not feel obligated to change their figures in any way, we do understand that it can be a confidence knock and it can detract from what should be a truly magical period. That’s why here at MPS we offer the ‘Mummy Makeover’ - to help all mums feel confident in their bodies again, whether you have a little one at home or you’re looking to feel rejuvenated after they’ve flown the nest.
What is a Mummy Makeover?
Pregnancy affects everyone differently. For a lot of people, the stomach won’t always return to its pre-pregnancy shape, and some are left with folds of excess skin, as a result of stretching during pregnancy. For others, the breasts will also lose volume and begin to sag, with breastfeeding further altering their shape.
To help women find their confidence after pregnancy, a ‘Mummy Makeover’ combines an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) with a breast augmentation and/or breast uplift (mastopexy) to lift and tighten and rejuvenate the affected areas.
- Abdominoplasty
A partial abdominoplasty uses smaller incisions to target the lower half of the stomach. The muscles are tightened and stitched into place and any excess skin is removed before the incisions are carefully closed.
- Breast Augmentation – A breast augmentation can be included as part of a Mummy Makeover. This involves making a small incision beneath each breast and inserting silicone or salt-water implants to increase the size and volume, combatting any sagging. Most women opt to increase their breasts by one or two bra cup sizes, though we can give you advice about what’s best for you at your consultation.
- Breast Uplift – A breast lift can also be carried out as a standalone treatment or combined with an abdominoplasty and breast augmentation, depending on your desired results. A breast uplift involves making an incision beneath the breast and around the nipple in an anchor shape before removing any excess skin where the breasts have sagged. The nipple and areola are then moved to a higher position and the skin is tightened to reshape the breast before the incisions are carefully stitched closed.
Your questions: answered!
As with all our treatments, before we schedule your surgery, we carry out a thorough consultation process to ensure a Mummy Makeover is right for you. At your consultation, we will carefully assess your body to understand the areas you wish to rejuvenate, and determine which combination of treatments will be right for you. This is also your opportunity to ask us any questions, so you can feel confident you’re in safe hands.
Here, our breast and abdominoplasty specialist, Mr James Murphy, answers some of your frequently asked questions.
When is the best time to have a Mummy Makeover?
The main priority with any treatment is that you schedule it at a time that’s right for you: when you’re mentally and physically healthy and have sufficient time aside for proper recovery. However, there are some guidelines we give to our patients.
Although it’s tempting to consider treatment relatively soon after childbirth, we recommend waiting at least a year after your pregnancy. We completely understand that life with a new baby can be emotional and sometimes difficult, so we recommend taking time to adjust and allow your body to recover fully. This also gives you the time to make an accurate assessment of your new shape and decide whether a Mummy Makeover is right for you.
We also suggest waiting to have a Mummy Makeover until you’ve completed your family. Although there are no risks that affect future pregnancies, a future pregnancy is likely to stretch your stomach muscles and breasts again, offsetting the results of the Mummy Makeover.
Do I need to be a certain weight to have a Mummy Makeover?
Providing you’re a healthy weight, there is no desired weight for this treatment. However, it’s best to be as close to your ideal weight as possible to maximise your satisfaction with your results. If you intend to lose a lot of weight, it’s best to do this before your Mummy Makeover as you may end up with volume loss and excess skin that can be targeted during treatment.
How long is the Mummy Makeover treatment?
Depending on the combination of treatments that is right for you, the length of your surgery may vary. It can take anywhere between 3 to 8 hours under general anaesthetic.
What will my results be like?
Before booking your consultation, you may wish to browse our before and after photos and read some customer reviews. At your initial consultation, we’ll use our 3D body imaging service to help you visualise your results before you make a final decision. This allows you to be confident we’re on the same page and you know exactly what to expect from your treatment.
How to prepare for your Mummy Makeover
Following your consultation, if you decide to go ahead, we’ll be with you every step of the way to provide tailored advice and guidance to ensure it goes smoothly and you achieve your dream results. Before surgery, we will give you specific instructions on how to prepare, covering diet, smoking, and medication.
What is the Mummy Makeover recovery time?
Your Mummy Makeover will require a minimum of a two-night stay in one of our private suites and Spire Manchester Hospital. Before your surgery, you will need to make arrangements for someone to pick you up from the hospital and help out with daily tasks for a few days while you rest.
You will likely feel swollen and bruised for a few weeks, but we will prescribe you the necessary pain relief to ease your discomfort while you recover. We will give you instructions on how to care for your dressings and how long you should wait before exercising or driving again.
We will also arrange follow-up appointments with you as appropriate to ensure you’re healing correctly and you’re satisfied with your results.
What are the Mummy Makeover risks?
Like all surgical treatments, breast augmentation, breast lift, and abdominoplasty do carry risks. When you attend your consultation, we will discuss general risks with you as well as scarring and any risks that are specific to your combination of treatments to help you make an informed decision about whether cosmetic surgery is right for you.
Start your journey with Manchester Plastic Surgery
If you’re considering a Mummy Makeover, the next step is to book a preliminary no-obligation consultation with Mr James Murphy to go over all your specific questions, any doubts or worries, and your ideal expectations, and we can begin to plan your dream results. Start your journey to your new post-pregnancy body, by completing the form below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
